Exchanged
by Wandering Sprites
Summary: (A Rewrite) Rachel and her two friends from our world suddenly find themselves at Hogwarts. How will they deal with being eleven (and magic!) again and meeting the Golden Trio? As they struggle with their role in the changing story, they just might fall for what used to be fictional characters. But Voldemort is not easily disregarded... And fictional characters still bleed.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1  
**

* * *

"Rachel," one of my best friends, Jessica Tanner said to me solemnly as she rolled over and looked at me with her piercing green eyes. Her short black hair falling dramatically into her eyes as she made her face look as earnest as possible.

"Yep?" I asked as I distractedly went through my DVD's trying to find a good film to watch.

"Did you know that I love you?" she said, a hint of drama in her tone. I turned and looked at her, some of my hair falling out of my ugly messy bun and obscuring my vision.

"Oh, my," I remarked calmly before returning my attention back to the box of DVDs, "A love confession. Be still, my beating heart!"

"And you know that everything I do, I do out of only the purest of pure loves for you?" she continued. My other best friend, Alicia Cooper watched bemusedly but didn't see the need to add anything. She was the quietest out of the three of us. She was also the cleverest.

"Oh dear me!" I crowed, furrowing my brow in concentration and sticking my tongue to the side as I read over all of my DVD titles.

"So," Jessica then purposefully rolled herself off of the couch she was laying out and landed on the floor with a THUMP! "Why is it," She then followed that up with a simple, purposefully clumsy looking forward roll (she was actually fairly athletic) and landed right next to where I was kneeling, "that you refuse to use Netflix?" she demanded, all lovely pretenses gone, "We've been siting here, waiting for you to pick a film for the better part of an hour! Just hurry up or let me sign in to my Netflix account! "

I scowled at her but I noticed I did take an absurd amount of time, "Fine. Hey Als, would you mind if we kept it classic and watched a Harry Potter movie?"

"Fine by me... Padfoot," Alicia said cheekily, reminding us all of how we used to roleplay as the Marauders. It was an endearing and slightly embarrassing childhood memory.

"Rightie-o, Moony. How about you, Prongs?" I turned to Jessica.

"Yeah, alright," Jessica shrugged, "Haven't watched Harry Potter in a while. I kind of miss our geeky little pseudo Marauders gang too, Padfoot, Moony."

I just smiled and, after another cursory glance at the DVDs, I pulled out Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. While the movie started to play I got up.

"Anybody want me to make any popcorn?" I asked, redoing my messy bun quickly.

"I'll take some," Alicia said decisively and Prongs, er, sorry, I mean Jessica got up. I took a swift moment to remember when we used to refer to each other with those names more than we used our real names with a fond smile on my lips.

Jessica went and opened my fridge and pulled out some Sprite and Coca Cola, pouring one glass of Sprite for Alicia and a Coke for both herself and me. After the popcorn had popped, Jessica and I returned to my living room where Alicia was watching the movie diligently, her clear frames slipping off her face. She didn't really seem to notice us returning until Jessica plopped her glass of Sprite down onto the coffee table in front of her. I put the bowl of popcorn onto the table as well.

"Awe, thank you!" Alicia said gratefully as she reached for her glass of Sprite just as there was a rather loud crack of thunder outside, causing all three of us to jump and for Alicia to accidentally slap the glass off of the table.

"Jeez." I said, my hand flying to my chest.

"That was loud," Jessica said, agreeing with my sentiment and going up to the window and peering out of the curtains. As soon as she lifted the curtains I felt a blast of electricity hit me. It wasn't painful because it was simply too overwhelming. I don't know what happened to us afterwards since everything suddenly just went black.

When I awoke, I immediately swallowed a mouthful of salty, disgusting water. My eyes burned and I flailed around. I was in some kind of body of water? I was a fair swimmer and I looked up, holding whatever minuscule breath I had the best I could. There was a lot of light which meant the surface wasn't fair off. I kicked as hard as I could. It was strange but my legs felt smaller? Disregarding it, I swam, up, up, up...

I broke the surface and took in great, heaving breaths as two pair of arms grabbed me and pulled me up. Pushing my sopping wet hair out of my eyes, and breathing heavily I looked around in an almost wild panic. I was on some kind of lake where a bunch of boats were all floating, going towards some castle. I looked to the people who had rescued me and my eyes met a pale looking girl with a brown bush of hair and a nervous looking boy with dark hair, grasping a toad that seemed interested in going where I had just come from. _Where the hell am I?_

"You should be more careful, you know. Roughhousing in the boats doesn't make for a very good first impression. You could have drowned and now your robes are all wet!" the brown haired girl said to me, sniffing rather dramatically in distaste.

"Robe-?" I began, looking down at myself in a sort of terrified shock. I was wearing robes? And I was so small! I looked like I was...

I froze and looked at the two again. They looked like they were eleven? Was I... Eleven?

"Rachel!" I heard a familiar voice call and I turned to look. A very young, frazzled-looking and also sopping wet Alicia and Jessica waved at me from two separate boats, "Are you alright?" this time it was Alicia.

I tried to figure out how to respond, turning back to the Emma Watson and Matthew Lewis look-alikes looking back at me, one in disapproval and the other in shy curiosity.

I made a strange sucking sound with my mouth in thought and turned to my friends as their boats neared mine.

Our boats continued up to the castle as my mind worked furiously to determine just what in the hell was going on.

"Quite alright."


	2. Chapter 2

The boats carried us to some kind of underground harbour where we got out onto a bunch of rocks and pebbles. Alicia, Jessica and I immediately rushed to one another, inspecting one another for injuries as if we were nurses.

"Do either of you know what's going on?" Jessica whispered to us as we watched the scene unfold. A gigantic hairy man who could only be Hagrid called out to Neville.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, as he inspected the boats.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. I looked at him fondly. What an adorable little kid.

We cautiously followed everyone as they followed Hagrids lamp up a passageway in the rock. Eventually, we came up to some smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. The three of us were shivering rather madly; our damp robes did not protect against the nights chill.

Eventually, we went up a flight of stone steps and lagged behind everyone as we crowded around a huge, oak front door. I could not be sure whether or not this was some sort of comatose dream. Perhaps that lightning strike had put me into a coma? But, I somehow knew that that was not the case.

"Do... do you think we died?" Alicia asked us quietly, blindly grasping Jessica's hand for some semblance of comfort, "Do you think this is some sort of afterlife?"

I found myself at a loss for words and settled for a simple, "I don't know."

Jessica pulled Alicia into a sidehug and comforted her. While Alicia may have been the cleverest one out of us three, she was also the more emotional one and both Jessica and I could see she was working herself into an anxiety riddled panic attack.

Suddenly Hagrids booming voice said, "Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?" he asked Neville. Neville nodded and help up Trevor to show him.

Satisfied, Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door opened so quickly that I was slightly startled. I stood on my tiptoes, trying to see over everyone's heads.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid in his very loud voice. I looked over at him since I couldn't see into the doorway but Hagrids hulking form was very easy to see.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." a stern voice said. It was McGonagall, I was certain.

"At the very least, we'll be able to actually be sorted into a Hogwarts house. Despite everything that's happened, I think that's pretty cool." I said, a sort of a giddy energy building up. Alicia smiled weakly but Jessica looked enthused.

"Oh my gosh, yes!" she said cheerfully, squeezing Alicia into her side just a bit tighter.

We followed everyone into Hogwarts and my mouth dropped open as I took in just how large the entrance hall was. I mean, I wasn't overly impressed because I was in my second year of university and my university campus was quite large as well, but it was still very impressive. The ceiling was so high up, it was nearly impossible to see the detailing on it.

We followed Professor McGonagall and I felt my heart beat speed up a bit in nervousness as I began to hear the sound of hundreds of voices come in through the doorway. I wasn't a very shy person usually, I could be very outgoing but today has been an exceptionally strange day and so please forgive me for feeling just slightly out of my element. We were ushered into a tiny little room and the kids all stood closer to each other out of nerves.

Even Alicia, Jessica and I pressed closer to the other kids, despite us being just shy of our twentieth birthdays.

If I'm to be honest, I didn't know what I was feeling. It was all very overwhelming. I felt cold because I was still wet. I felt nervous because we were going to be paraded in front of the whole school. I was in shock because I had somehow teleported between dimensions and I had lost nearly 9 years of my life from my body. I was ecstatic because I was in Hogwarts and I simply would be ungrateful if I wasn't at the very least a tiny bit thankful for being here. Not to mention I must be a witch now, otherwise I wouldn't have been even able to see the castle.

So yes, I suppose all of this could be summed up with the general feeling of being very very overwhelmed. Jessica continued to cuddle Alicia and I found myself also wanting to seek some comfort so I put my head on Alicia's shoulder as we awaited for McGonagall to say something.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall began and we shifted a bit closer to the front of our little crowd to hear her clearly. I suppose I had a bit of water stuffing my hearing. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

I felt very very giddy now. Most of my earlier emotions were overshadowed with pure, unadulterated excitement.

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

 _McGonagall, please please please cast a drying charm on me_ I found myself praying as she continued to speak. _Please please, I don't want to be a soaking wet joke._

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." McGonagall said, her eyes lingering on Neville's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Finally, she took in the three of us at the back and her eyes widened almost imperceptibly before she gingerly took out her wand and I felt myself becoming dry and warm. Alicia and Jessica were dry as well.

We thanked her and she frowned, "I hope you will all be on your best behaviour as you attend this school. Foolishness will be punished."

My cheeks felt hot in embarrassment as some of my apparently new classmates snickered. Hermione glared back at us, obviously still disapproving. I wondered where Harry was? But I wasn't much too worried. I'd see him soon enough.

"Great," Jessica muttered to me, "She already doesn't like us."

"Mm." I responded eloquently.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly." she then left us. I was expecting everyone to immediately start talking again but everyone was quiet, except for Hermione who was bragging about the spells she learned to someone. I think it was Neville but I wasn't quite sure. I kinda wanted to meet Harry now.

"I'll be right back," I said to Jessica. She nodded distantly. She appeared to be thinking. Slipping through the tiny crowd, my eyes finally landed on a mop of black hair standing next to a ginger.

 _Ah, there he is!_

"Hi," I greeted Ron politely, "I like your hair colour." Okay I might be being a little bit manipulative here. See, Harry doesn't like attention. And he just recently found out he was famous in the Wizarding World so if I greeted him first he would think I only did so because he is the Boy-Who-Lived.

I mean, he would be right but that doesn't mean he had to know, right? Plus, Ron was always jealous of Harry so acknowledging him instead of the famous wizard hero coupled with a sincerely given compliment should put me into his good books.

I promise I'm usually not this conniving.

The tips of Rons ears got a bit pink as he squinted at me, trying to figure out if I was making fun of him, "Thank you." he said quietly but he didn't seem very much up for more conversation. Harry was simply staring into space, a look of a man doomed to his death on his face, likely afraid of the sorting like in the books. I tried not to smile in amusement. I couldn't let the conversation go at just that though so I asked.

"How do you guys think we're going to be sorted then?"

"Well, my older brother Fred told me it was some kind of test," Ron mumbled, looking unsurely at me "He said it hurts a lot but he might have been joking."

"Ah, an older brother, huh? He might have been trying to scare you," I nodded sagely at him, discretely trying to comfort the two somber boys, "I only heard it was some kind of magic hat that reads your mind."

"That's barmy!" Ron said, holding back a laugh. He opened his mouth to say more when suddenly people began to scream. Harry visibly jolted and I turned around to see a bunch of ghosts.

"Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"

"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed us. Was this Nearly Headless Nick?

"Um, we're waiting to be sorted." I heard Alicia's voice peek out quietly. The ghost looked at her before nodding.

"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them, "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff! My old house, you know."

"Wicked!" Jessica's voice chimed in as she put her hand through the Fat Friar's ghostly form, "Whoa, you're so cold!" The Friar didn't know whether he should frown or laugh but luckily he didn't have to decide as that was when McGonagall reappeared.

"Move along now," she said and the ghosts also began to leave through the wall. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start." McGonagall told us to form a line and I quickly deserted Harry and Ron to the wolves, giving them a quick nod, as I went back to Alicia and Jessica.

The Great Hall was amazing. There were no real words to describe it.

I heard Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History." and I looked up only to gape at how realistic it was. It really did look like there was no ceiling at all.

I looked around so furiously that I nearly fell over, inciting some quiet laughs from the students at the tables. My cheeks flushed. The rest of the time seemed to go by very quickly. The hat sang and I dutifully clapped, completely overwhelmed with nerves as I wondered what house I would be sorted into.

"Abbott, Hannah!" was sorted into Hufflepuff and so was "Bones, Susan!"

"Boot, Terry!" went to Ravenclaw, and so did "Brocklehurst, Mandy."

"Brown, Lavender!" went to Gryffindor and "Bulstrode, Millicent" went to Slytherin. But then came an unfamiliar name.

"Burke, Jessalin!" Jessica, and I froze and looked at each other. Was she supposed to be Jessalin? Jessica's mouth was open and she was given a sudden shove from Alicia.

"Go!" she hissed. Jessica, knowing better than to argue with the smartest one of us there, quickly hurried up to the hat. The hat seemed to take ages with Jessica, finally shouting out, "GRYFFINDOR!" I clapped and cheered as loud as I could.

 _Burke, huh? Why is that familiar? Who was Burke?_

Jessica let out a breath of relief and hurried to her table. A few more familiar students were sorted when suddenly once again another unfamiliar name.

"Fawley, Alicia!"

 _Fawley... Fawley..._ I thought furiously as I tried to figure out just who my friends families were. Alicia marched up determinedly to the hat. It had barely touched her head when it shouted out, "RAVENCLAW!"

Disappointment flooded me that we weren't all going to be in the same house but I still cheered and clapped for my friend. Slowly, everyone had been sorted and there was only a small few of us left.

"Selwyn, Rachelle!" McGonagall called and dread filled me as I stuck my chin up in the air, trying to hide that I was shaking ever so slightly. All of my earlier excitement had vanished, replaced with just pure nerves. I took a seat on the stool and McGonagall placed the hat on my head.

 _Hmm... strong amount of loyalty but you're not very fond of hard work, nor do you have much patience or determination and you're quite a cheater... Though your furious loyalty overpowers those traits... You could do well in Hufflepuff. Ah, but that's not all you are, are you? Though you aren't very much creative or clever as well. Oh don't feel offended my dear! But, the Ravenclaw house is most definitely not for you..._

 _You have a fair amount of bravery and you're very chivalrous as well. But I don't think Gryffindor is for you either. My, it is quite difficult to place you, my dear. But while you don't have very many ambitions, you can be quite cunning and resourceful. I suppose there's only one place for you, it's clear, you see?_

"SLYTHERIN!"

I got up in a daze and I know it's all very serious much wow I got sorted into the house of all the Death Eaters and blood purists and my last name is Selwyn and am I possibly related to Dolores Umbridge and blah blah.

I understand that, I really do. I completely know I should be thinking about all of this right now but I'm not and I have a favour to ask of you.

Please don't get angry with me.

And now, for my actual first thought as the hat was removed from my head was and the Great Hall came back into view:

 _All we need is a Hufflepuff friend and we'll have collected the whole set!_


	3. Chapter 3

I walked over to the Slytherin table and awkwardly took an available seat. A few of them nodded at me and I nodded back, turning and locating Alicia at the Ravenclaw table, I waved at her and she smiled toothily back, gesturing with her head at Jessica who was schmoozing at the Gryffindor table, eagerly talking the ears off of anyone who would listen.

"Selwyn , was it?" a voice asked politely, "I didn't know there was a Selwyn my age."

I turned and made eye contact with Blaise Zabini, who had been sorted after me.

"Nice to meet you." I greeted cordially. Zabini nodded, looking at the direction I had been staring at earlier.

"The other two. Friends of yours?" Zabini asked, talking about Jessica and Alicia.

"Yes." I said, trying to end the conversation.

"You're friends with a blood traitor?" Zabini persisted.

"Yes." I said, looking him directly in the eye as he made a disgusted face.

"Interesting." he said finally.

Then Dumbledore began to speak and I looked away from Zabini to see.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

"The man's a bit mad." Zabini said conversationally. I was surprised he was still bothering to talk to me.

"I suppose so," I shrugged before jolting as the table was suddenly full of a large amount of food, "I imagine I'll be gaining quite a bit of weight while I attend this school." I said, trying to be friendly as I granted Zabini a mischievous smile.

"Indeed." he echoed as we dug into our meal. As we ate, I noticed Draco Malfoy sitting a little whiles a way, sitting next to a very bloody ghost.

 _The Bloody Baron_ , I supposed. He was kind of scary to look at. After we ate our food, the dishes became sparkling clean again and this time there was dessert everywhere.

"So, Selwyn, how's your mother?" a pug faced girl asked me, the very picture of polite interest as she took dainty nibbles of her chocolate eclair. I panicked internally. What if this was some kind of trick, what if my 'mother' in this world was dead or something? But instead of being overwhelmed again, I stated simply, "Same as always. And yours?"

Unfortunately, I seem to have invited a lot of conversation from the girl as she began with, "Well!" and a beaming smile, as if dying for someone to brag to. I tried my best to nod and laugh along with her when necessary but I don't think she really bought it, as she frowned at me several times. Ah, well. I tried.

Finally, after making more polite conversation with my housemates, I came to the conclusion that Zabini wasn't all that bad. Parkinson was alright, I supposed, but after she noticed me glance over at Malfoy more than once, all of her friendliness dissipated. How very unfortunate.

Great, we've been at Hogwarts for only a little while yet she's already claimed dibs on the blond and is furiously protecting her little bounty. It was alright though, I wasn't interested in Malfoy or any other boy nor was I all that interested in her friendship. I had much bigger fish to fry. Such as figuring out why I was here in the first place.

Eventually, the dessert disappeared as well and Dumbledore got to his feet again.

"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you. First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well," Dumbledore said, looking at the Gryffindor table as he continued, "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch. And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."

 _Alright, third-floor corridor on the right-hand side._ I thought to myself firmly, _good to know._

Everything ended soon after that. We sang the school song and it was rather amusing. I was a bit disappointed I couldn't pick out Jessica or Alicia's voices but I sang it to the tune of 'SEAGULLS! Stop It Now!,' a youtube video I had watched many times due to the pure catchiness of the stupid song. I most definitely did not miss the incredulous looks of my housemates as I 'MmHAmmMm'ed at certain parts but I was having too much fun to really care. It was a bit hard to get the lyrics in the same tune and I had to add in a few extra words but I think I managed it rather well.

Once I was done, I brought my hands together in a single clap and beamed at my housemates as they frowned at me. I then realized that I probably made things a bit harder on myself than they needed to be. _I wish I had asked the hat to just put me in bloody Hufflepuff_.

Not much happened when we got to the dormitories. It seemed that having a pureblood last name and being in Slytherin excused most of my eccentrics which I was very thankful for. I unpacked some of my things and soon fell quickly asleep, planning on meeting up with Jess and Al as soon as I could.

Unfortunately, it took me nearly a week before I could. Finding my classes was a bigger struggle than I had assumed it to be and it was fairly difficult to find someone to help me find them. If they weren't also in Slytherin, chances are they would just scowl at me. Even if they were in Slytherin, sometimes they would just laugh at me and walk off.

Arrogant gits.

Eventually, it was Friday and I was glad to know it would be a class I would have with Jessica. I had had a class with Alicia a while back but the poor thing had seemed to forget that we weren't exactly in our own dimension where grades mattered and had taken it upon herself to study far more than I deemed necessary. She even shushed me when I tried to whisper to her!

Shaking my head, I made my way to the dungeons and took a seat. Only five seconds after me arrived Harry and Ron. I smiled at them and waved as they looked at me unsurely. Harry finally managed a thin smile and a mockery of a wave whereas Ron just smiled tersely, clearly unsure of me now that I was in Slytherin.

Eventually Jessica rushed in and I waved her over. Breathing a sigh of relief she took the empty seat next to me as both of us ignored the disapproving or shocked looks of both of our housemates.

"Did you get to talk to Alicia?" I asked her as we waited for Professor Snape to arrive.

"No, she's studying like what we learn'll actually matter." Jessica snorted. Suddenly a cold voice said, "You find school to be a joke, Ms-?"

We both snapped our heads up to look in horror at Snapes disapproving frown.

"..." Jessica squeaked as she tried to remember her own last name, "Um..."

"Burke, what's the matter with you?" I helped her out, pretending to scowl at my friend. She looked at me gratefully.

"Burke, sir." Jessica finally answered. Snape narrowed his eyes at the both of us.

"One point from Gryffindor, Ms. Burke." he said before moving to the front of the class. The Gryffindors glared at Jessica but she didn't seem to be very sad over losing points.

"Blimey, he's intimidating!" Jessica whispered to me, not taking her eyes off Snape.

"You're telling me," I whispered back as I grabbed her hand with mine to show her just how cold my hand had gotten.

"Jeez, Rachel, you're absolutely freezing!" Jessica exclaimed but we were immediately hushed as Snape began to take roll call. We watched silently as Snape gave his speech, finishing off with calling us all dunderheads. He then started making a mockery of Potter and took a point off of Potter as well. Snape eventually put us all into pairs and although he stared at me rather disapprovingly for sitting next to a Gryffindor, he mercifully allowed us to work together. I sent him a grateful smile in thanks as Jessica pulled out the textbook.

We followed along relatively easily. I don't quite understand how one could really have too many difficulties - you just had to do exactly what was written and not a thing more.

Unfortunately, I had miscounted and stirred the potion one extra time by accident and Jessica added in a little bit too much crushed snake fangs. Overall, it didn't look that off from what we were expected to have, if a shade or three different.

Suddenly, there was an explosion and Jessica and I turned to our right to see that Neville had melted his cauldron. Letting out startled yelps, Jessica and I barely managed to get ourselves onto our stools. The bottoms of my shoes had already been eaten by the potion and the bottom of my socked feet was pressed against the cold metal of the stools.

Jessica suddenly gasped out in horror and I stopped inspecting the bottom of my feet and looked then I gasped as well. Neville was utterly covered in angry red boils. I felt a sudden rush of pity for him, it looked extraordinarily painful and tears were welling in his eyes. Snape was furious as he quickly vanished the potion and sent Seamus to lead Neville out of the classroom as he rounded on Potter and took off yet another point for 'not telling Longbottom to not add in the quills!'.

Class after that was fairly uneventful as Jessica and I could hardly discuss our issue in a classroom full of eavesdroppers and we were done for the day after this class anyhow.

We rushed out of class the moment after we handed in our potion.

"Where's Ally, do you reckon?" Jessica asked.

"Probably the library if I'm to be honest. She's seems awfully overwhelmed with all of the school work and everything." I said. Jessica nodded.

"So, have you made any new friends in Slytherin?" Jessica asked as we slowly made our way up to the library. I was slowly running out of breath as we walked. My bag was also fairly heavy, which didn't help in the slightest and I had no clue how to perform a featherlight charm yet.

"Does that really matter? I think we should be more focused on figuring out how to get home." I said sternly.

"Aw, come on, Rach! Why would you ever want to go home? Isn't Hogwarts everything you could have ever wished for?"

"Tanner, do you ever think?" I snapped at her, using her real last name to drive my point home, "You realize that your last name is Burke right? I originally couldn't recall what family Burke was but it was relatively easy to remember. Borgin and Burkes. As in the Dark Art Artifacts shop. And if they're selling Dark Artifacts and you're related to them, do you think they're going to be kind to you when they realize you're in Gryffindor? At least Alicia is fairly safe in Ravenclaw and I'm in Slytherin. You're in danger, do you not realize this? The sooner we get home, the better."

"Yeah, well," Jessica tried before stopping, an angry frown on her lips, "Whatever," she muttered bitterly, "It's not like you could understand."

I stopped walking, "And what," I drawled, "Pray tell, would I not understand?"

"I mean, you're in Slytherin and all so it's fairly obvious you don't feel things like a normal person!"

"Excuse me? Jessica, have you lost your mind?" I asked, completely befuddled.

"You know what. I think I'm going to go to my dorms." Jessica stated before turning on her heel and hurrying off. I stared at her in complete confusion as a tiny bit of anger boiled in me at how utterly ridiculous she was being. In a huff, I turned in the opposite direction and went to my own dormitories, leaving Alicia to be where ever she was.


End file.
